The Opposition has called for the cost of the policy backflip on mobile speed cameras to be revealed following a Government admission that nearly three quarters of the cameras are currently off the road as they wait to be fitted with warning signs.
 
The Government has now confirmed that only 38 mobile speed camera cars are operating, with the remainder of the 143 cars due to be retrofitted by April. 
 
On the 26th of October 2022 transport officials at budget estimates warned the Government about the need for an urgent decision on signage saying “The decision needs to be made as soon as possible.”

It appears that decision has only just been made. 

The latest speed camera fines for motorists less than 10km/hr over the speed limit:
 
2020 (Dec 19 to Nov 20) $4m
2021 (Dec 20 to Nov 21) $41m
2022 (Dec 21 to Nov 22) $40m

Quotes attributable to John Graham, NSW Shadow Minister for Roads:
 
“This is an administrative debacle.
 
“You couldn’t make this up. Transport officials warned publicly that the old warning signs were too big for the new cars. They also warned of this impending deadline.
 
“Nearly three quarters of these cars are being pulled off the road at the most dangerous time of the year for road safety.
 
“This is worse than the worst case scenario outlined by transport officials.
 
“This has been a slow motion policy backflip. The original Government decision happened in 2020, and it now won’t be fixed until after the 2023 election.

“The Government has returned to the very policy we had in the first place – warning signs before and after cameras. We are calling on the government to reveal how many millions of taxpayer dollars this has now cost.”

 
JOHN GRAHAM MLC
NSW DEPUTY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR ROADS